Maricao State Forest is located on the island of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

, spread through the towns of San Germán

San Germán, Puerto Rico

San Germán is a municipality located in the southwestern region of Puerto Rico, south of Mayagüez and Maricao; north of Lajas; east of Hormigueros and Cabo Rojo; and west of Sabana Grande. San Germán is spread over 18 wards and San Germán Pueblo...

, Sabana Grande

Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico

Sabana Grande is a municipality of Puerto Rico located north of Lajas and Guánica; south of Maricao; east of San Germán; and west of Yauco. Sabana Grande is spread over seven wards and Sabana Grande Pueblo...

 and Maricao

Maricao, Puerto Rico

Maricao is the second-least populous municipality of Puerto Ricolocated at the western edge of the Cordillera Central. It is a small town set around a small plaza in hilly terrain, north of San Germán, Saban Grande and Yauco; south of Las Marías and Lares, southeast of Mayagüez, and west of Adjuntas...

. It is commonly known as only the Monte del Estado, which refers to the mountain of that name located in the forest.

The forest is located on the western region of the Cordillera Central

Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico

The Cordillera Central, or La Cordillera Central , is the main mountain range in Puerto Rico. Generally speaking, the range crosses the island from west to east with an average elevation of 915m and divides the territory's northern and southern coastal plains.La Cordillera Central runs east to...

 of Puerto Rico, and encompasses 10264 acres (41.5 km²) of land in a high rainfall area. Guanajibo River and the Río Grande de Añasco flow through the forest.

Biology and ecology

Flora

There are 1,141 species of plants in the forest, probably the highest diversity

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...

 in the island. Of the 128 species of endemic plants of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

, 23 are in the Maricao State Forest. There are plantations of mahogany

Mahogany

The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....

, eucalyptus

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...

, Honduras Pine

Caribbean Pine

The Caribbean Pine, Pinus caribaea, is a hard pine native to Central America, Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It inhabits tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, which include both lowland savannas and montane forests...

, and others.

Fauna

There are 60 species registered, 29 of which are endemic. Some examples are the Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk

Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk

The Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned Hawk, , Falcon de Sierra or Gavilán pecho rufo in Spanish, is an endemic subspecies of the North American Sharp-shinned Hawk, occurring only in Puerto Rico...

 (Accipiter striatus venator), which is an endangered species, and the Puerto Rican Emerald

Puerto Rican Emerald

The Puerto Rican Emerald , or Zumbadorcito de Puerto Rico in Spanish, is an endemic hummingbird found only in the archipelago of Puerto Rico....

(Chlorostilbon maugaeus).

Climate

In summer the climate is warm and humid. Thunderstorms are common, along with temperature around 85°F with heat index in the upper 90s during the day time. In summer, night time is usually cool with low temperature in the mid- to lower 60s. In winter, it is very dry, the forest with mild temperature in day time and cold in night time. Occasional days drop to 40°F with mid-30s wind chill.

See also

External links

• Information about Maricao Forest